Whisper of the Heart
by princessoftheshadowsofdestiny
Summary: Listen to the voice of the forest, the wind blowing from a cluster of far off stars. Magic coats the horizon, waiting for the right mage to reach out and take hold of its splendor. For this is a tale of magic, a raw uncontained form of it. The eyes of the spinner alight on a thread like no other, one made of scorching fire of a dragon. NaLu Au
1. The Dragon in the Window

**Hey guys! I'm literally writing this just after I woke up. I had the coolest dream and I want to write it. I had to change a couple of things but the idea is exactly the same. Natsu is a little ooc because I needed him to be a little bit more serious than he normally is and he has no motion sickness. He will still be his super goofy self, most of the time. This story has an inkling of the red string of fate tied in; the spinner is the man who ties the string of fate to a destined pair of people.**

**The contest that I put up for story ideas hasn't been working well for my other story so here is a refresher for the readers of this new one! Give me a pm or review with an idea for a story to enter. You can suggest a chapter for and existing story or an entirely new literary work the prizes are as follows**

**1****st**** place: a story/chapter, a place of honor on my profile, my email for any other ideas or for just a chat!**

**2****nd**** place: a story/ chapter, place of honor on profile**

**3****rd**** place: story/ chapter**

**I really have no idea where this story came from, but I won't look a gift horse in the mouth. This idea, while abnormal, is an eureka moment nearly as great as the formulation of the dream folk. Speaking of which some asshole is telling me that the dream folk is a TV show called 'once upon a time'. Will someone that has seen that show read my story and tell me if they are the same freaking thing please?**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy tail so those bloodsucking parasites that call themselves lawyers can leave me alone.**

_Listen to the voice of the forest, the wind blowing from a cluster of far off stars. Magic coats the horizon, waiting for the right mage to reach out and take hold of its splendor. For this is a tale of magic, a raw uncontained form of it. When the eyes of the spinner alight on a thread like no other he has woven, a thread made of scorching fire. That was when the magic was unleashed from its ties and our story began._

A winter breeze whispered on the cold dark night, carrying with it the cries of a new born babe. This babe herself was special, her looks strange as her mind.

She had beautiful blonde curls plastered to her head, and shimmering chocolate eyes. Her skin was pale, and her wails rang through the air, rushing through the ears of a dragon making his way through the forest.

His fiery red ears perked up, turning in the direction of the cry. His onyx eyes narrowed in concentration, before he gently loped towards the sound. He glared at the close grown trees impending his way before swiping them out of the way with his massive paw and moving forward.

A large stone cottage came into view, and he stretched his neck to gaze into the window. The little child in her mother's arms stared right back at him, smiling for the very first time. She held him transfixed in her gaze, magic pouring from her soul.

A thread of hot fire, invisible to all but the master of the red threads of fate who stood in the corner, was tied from his claw to her delicate pinky. The knot itself was tied in such a way that you couldn't see a possible path to its unraveling, as tight as it was.

He bared his fangs in a playful way, loving the way the girl laughed and clapped her little hands. She reached towards him, causing a reptilian smile to appear on his face.

Her mother turned towards him as he ducked below the sill, searching for the source of her daughter's amusement. He escaped her searching eyes and reared up to see the girl once more.

She reached towards him, a petulant pout engraved on her face as her mother tried to leave the room. A high-pitched ringing wail escaped from her pouting pink lips as the people from the room next door swarmed around her, impairing her view of the car sized juvenile dragon.

'_I like this girl,' _he thought, examining her behind the wall of bodies,_' I'll need to watch her to see if it's like Igneel and Grandine. I'll come and see her again tomorrow.'_

He then turned away and padded off into the forest, the distressed cries of the infant following him like a shadow of guilt.

0000000000000000000000000000 0000000000000000000000000000 00000000000** 6 and ½ years later**

"Lucy, where are you?" a blonde woman called into the vast garden. "It's time for pictures!"

A little blonde haired body zipped out of the bushes and into the young woman's legs, clinging to them tightly.

"Here I am Mommy!" she giggled, her little hand fisted on the pink silk gown in front of her.

Her gown was a dark green, like the tree tops, with bright red flowers embroidered all over it. Her beautiful golden hair rippling down to just below her chin, pinned with a red feather clip.

"Come Lucy," Her father called from his place in front of the fountain. "We must get on with this so I can get back to work."

"Jude, stay here with your daughter for once," The blonde woman called as she and Lucy walked forward.

"Layla, you know I have to work so we can keep our estate! I'm very busy at the moment and have no time for such frivolous things," Jude replied as they positioned themselves around the chair Lucy was sitting in.

Unnoticed to the family, a weighty snort rumbled from the woods near the house. A familiar red dragon, which had already tripled in size, was plopped down in the underbrush watching the scene.

While the smelly smoke came from the pictograph and drifted towards him, he sneezed mightily enough to catch the attention of the sharp eared little girl.

Her head whipped towards the forest, searching for any sign of movement. The picture was done by then and her father was already walking back through the garden towards the manor behind it.

She snuck under the defenses of her families staff and snuck into the trees. She listened hard for a noise, any noise that could pinpoint the strange sound from before.

A noise she got. A pair strange and quiet whispers alighted upon her ears, synchronized perfectly.

"What you seek is just ahead and slightly to the left, my young mistress," they called, giggling before their presence disappeared.

"Thank you," the small girl replied, oblivious to the strange origins of the voices.

She barreled forward in the direction the voices pinpointed and alighted on a large clearing. She giggled, eyes wide, as she stumbled into the warm circle of sunshine.

The grass was a rich green and dotted with pink and purple wildflowers. She ran forward and plucked one from the ground, catching a glimpse of a burning crimson from the corner of her eye.

She turned slowly, a shiver running up her small spine in anticipation.

A claw came into her vision, followed by a leg, then a wing. A crest of spikes emerging from red scales followed, topped off by an enormous head with dagger like fangs jutting from its upper jaw. His onyx eyes glowed with surprise at her sudden appearance, hoping she didn't notice the perfect position he was in to watch her and her family in the garden.

She froze in fear for a moment, before relaxing, her shoulders moving from her ears back to a normal position. She gently loped towards him, grace of a dancer eminent in her steps, to sate her overwhelming curiosity.

Her small hand reached forward and came to rest on his flank, stroking his scales lightly. Her chocolate eyes widened as he reached his head forward, gently nudging her small hand. She lifted it upon his muzzle, stroking lightly, standing mesmerized by his dark gaze.

He snorted in contentment, and her eyes widened in realization.

"You were the noise from earlier weren't you?" she asked sweetly.

He nodded.

"What's your name?" she asked innocently.

He snorted again and shifted, bringing a claw to the ground. _**Natsu**_ he scratched out in sharp letters on the hard earth.

"You can write?" the exceptionally smart girl asked in amazement.

The dragon nodded, lifting her still petting hand slightly with his movement.

"Natsu," she mused his name rolling clumsily off her tongue. "I could get used to saying th-"

"Lucy, Where are you? It's time for dinner! We don't want to be late!" her mother called from the garden, lifting her dress with one hand as she searched for the little girl.

"Sorry Natsu, I have to go home. I hope I'll see you soon!" she kissed his nose lightly before running out of the forest into her mother's arms.

Somehow the crimson dragon had reddened even more, and he blinked once before staring at his nose. He snorted once again before staring out of the trees at the girl entering her home.

'_I hope to see you soon too' _He thought before padding gently into the forest.

**0000000000000000000000000000 0000000000000000000000000000 00**

**So everyone did you like it? Please review and enter my contest. This contest has been extended and will end on valentines day 2013! Ja ne!**


	2. important note about my stories

**Hey guys I know you all are probably angry with me for not updating, but right now my life is spiraling into the chasm of despair. My grades are low, and my parents are getting a divorce, which is a very dirty and painful process.****I'm will not be abandoning my fanfics, but I wont be updating until all of this horror ends. Thank you all for understanding.**


	3. The Spirits of the Horizon

**Hey guys! I managed to grind out an update between packing and during a free period at school. We have to stay in our house for a while, but the divorce finalization is going to be set in a few weeks, then I'll be back to a stable environment with my mom and my siblings. I just have t let y'all know that I'm alive and I'm doing fine and I hope you all enjoy this update. It's actually quite long for just a grinding session, but I guess that all of the stuff made me wanna write happy so it all flew out. Oh and Loke isn't going to be so flirty with lucy this time kay? Enjoy!**

**Back to a lighter subject, my cat is evil yet she is the best little kitty in the world. She ripped up the science project that I spent a long time on that is due tomorrow so I'll be staying up late to finish that tonight, so I'm going to type this up now, seeing as I've written it all on notebook paper during class so my teachers wouldn't get suspicious about how I was taking notes on my tablet and not in my notebook (don't worry I actually wrote down the notes between bouts of inspiration). And note that natsu is going to be his dopey old self, but her will make up for it with a line as romantic as an eight year old can make up for a 6 year old.**

"**words"**

'**thoughts' **

'_**Natsu writing'**_

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy tail nor the concept of the non verbatim speech at the end of this chapter.**

**Dedication: This is for all you readers who offered me support as I gave you the post about what terrible things are going on in my life. Thank all of you for caring so much about me and my well being, not just how fast or slow I update. This is for all of you!**

**Chapter 2: Meeting Horizon Spirit 1**

Hours swiftly passed, eventually finding the fiery dragon hunkered down at his previous spot. 2 synchronized giggles reached his ears, raising his scaly hackles skyward.

"Calm down!" they chorused in a child like voice. "We only wish to tell you that Mistress Lucy is approaching!" Another eerie giggle rippled through the air afterwards.

Once a moment had passed, The dragon had shifted from a dragon to a young boy with unruly salmon hair. He held that way for a few moments before shifting back into the form of the winged reptile, a disappointed sigh erupting from his maw.

"You'll need a little more practice if you want to contact lady Lucy with words," they observed. "But if you need a translator we are here to help Mistress Lucy in anyway possible."

Sensing no danger or ill will from the strange pair of creatures, though substantial magic power, the reptile grunted in approval before shifting into a waiting position.

As promised, shortly after the sun made its ascent into the sky a little golden mane appeared in the clearing.

"Hi, Natsu-kun" she called cheerfully, skipping to his scaly side.

He lowered his muzzle and gently nuzzled the curve of her neck in a gentle greeting, Causing her to laugh hysterically. He pulled back with an alarmed snort at her sudden bout of laughter, an incredulous and worried look in his dark eyes.

"That tickled!" she managed to squeak once her giggling ceased, tugging on a spike upon his back. "Do it again! I liked it!"

He eagerly complied, admiring the smile that brightened her face as she laughed.

She sat down minutes later, face glowing with the remainder of her continuous mirth. Her face slowly sunk into a contemplative pout, lips pursed and eyebrows furrowed while studying the dragon before her.

"Natsu, you know your name means summer right?" she inquired quietly, still staring at the dragon.

He nodded enthusiastically, before scratching more letters into the earth with his dagger-like claws.

'_I was born then 2½ years before I first saw you in your home'_

"When did you first see me? How big was I? " the girl pressed curiously, leaning towards the creature in front of her.

" _You were really small, tiny. You were always in your Mama's arms or in this big fluffy bed, and you only ever drank milk'_

She blinked once before regaining the same focused look that she had put on previously, her tiny face scrunching up in thought. A look of realization crossed her face and she sprang to her feet.

"Oh, I get it!" she shrieked, causing the young dragon to flinch. "I was a baby! You first saw me as a baby?" she repeated her own discovery incredulously.

He nodded cautiously, attempting to judge her impending reaction.

"Cool!", she screeched, making his ear flatten in pain. " I had a dragon looking after me as a baby! Awesome!" she skipped in a circle a couple of times then collapsed in a pile of happy giggles.

She then obtained the most peculiar expression on her face as she sat up, from the dragons point of view anyway. It was a wide grin , but usually gins are happy. This one seemed sort of malicious.

Then she pounced, throwing all of her weight through the air and onto the dragon, knocking a surprised and painful moan as the young reptile was smashed into the ground with his neck thoroughly cuddled by small arms.

His form flashed back to that of the pink haired boy, his onyx eyes still glimmering as the had on the reptile. He was nursing a red swollen lump on his head, rubbing it tenderly.

"What the heck was that for Luce?!" erupted from the small boy, who looked only a few years older than Lucy herself, yet was being squashed by her somewhat smaller form.

"EEEEEEEP!" she screeched before scurrying away on her hands and knees to escape further embarassment.

"Natsu, Is that you?!"

"Of course it is! Who else would I be, Your Dad!?"

"But I thought you were a dragon!"

"Of course I am! All dragons have a human form!"

"Why would a dragon need to take human form?!"

"I don' know! Igneel said he would tell me when I got old enough to understand!"

"Who's Igneel ?!"

"My Dad! Can we please stop yelling now?!"

"Sure!"

Once the stopped their incessant bickering, they bent over ,both red faced and panting. They stood there for a few moments, catching their elusive breaths that came out as wheezes.

"Well," Lucy panted slightly, just about to catch her breath. "You definitely surprised me."

The boy grinned jovially, seemingly full of his previous energy.

"Well Luce, I didn't know if I could keep this form long enough to talk to you! I kept having so much trouble with keeping it up for a long time, but it seems to help that you're around."

"Luce?", she repeated the apparent nickname, a slightly bewildered look on her face.

"Yeah! It sounds cute, like you have a screw loose or something!" He flashed her a reptilian grin, exposing ivory fangs in his toothy smile.

His words caught up to her as she admired this goofy smile.

"HEY!" erupted from her mouth as she tackled the other kid. "I do not! My head is perfectly screwed on, thank you very much!"

He looked surprised at her actions, and if anything his depressed sounding words affirmed her suspicions.

"I thought you said we should stop yelling," he muttered meekly, gazing at the dirt instead of into her eyes.

Her eyes softened and she reached out and took his hand gently.

"Sorry Natsu, I didn't mean to yell, but people get angry when you make fun of them . You really shouldn't do that."

He brightened immediately, tightening his grip on her hand and engulfing it with his warm one.

"It's OK Luce! It was my fault any way! How about Luce because your eyes are like stars that fell loose from the sky? Is that any better?"

She blushed prettily, making him smile once again.

Their little moment was interrupted by a pair of similar voices erupting in harmonious giggles, announcing a strange pair with an even stranger appearance. They were two miniature people, each about the size of a baby, and their skin was a soft powder blue. They wore matching 1 Shouldered jumpers, the left in orange with a cheery smile and the right in green with a slight frown. They were a sort of blob, a chibi if you will, and they held each others hands as they flew.

"Hello again, little dragon boy!" they chorused politely, punctuating it with another bout of sweet laughter.

"Hello," Lucy said politely back." My name is Lucy, Who are you?"

"We are the twins!" They replied.

"I'm Gem!" said the one in orange.

"I'm Mini," the one in green replied.

"We're Gemini!" the replied, together again.

"We're the first of the 12 spirits who exist from the stars scattered across the horizon! We haven't been awake for many years. Your magic has called us Mistress Lucy, and all 12 of us will awaken one by one and will come to your aid for eternity!"

"Thank you Gemini" she replied meekly as the twins bowed to her. "I hope we can be great friends!"

They looked to each other surprised for a moment before turning back to her.

" No one has ever wanted to call us friend before. We like you Mistress Lucy!"

She then reached towards them and pulled them into a tight hug. Wrapping her arms around them with a gentle but firm hold.

They flew back tears forming in their small eyes.

"We love you Mistress Lucy!" They cried before disappearing in a golden shower of light, leaving behind a small golden key with a harp on one end and little carvings of them on the other side.

Lucy picked it up gently and their voices emanated from the key.

"Call us when you need help Mistress Lucy! We'll do whatever we can!"

She held the key close before tucking it into the folds of her dress so as to not lose it.

She took a breath and turned to Natsu with a dazzling smile.

"C'mon Natsu! Lets play tag! You're it!"

They laughed and chased and had a grand old time until Layla appeared on the porch.

"Lucy! It's almost noon! Come get your lunch!" She gathered up her dress in one hand and started to walk down the stairs.

"Bye Natsu! See you tomorrow!" she cried to her friend before rushing back to her mother.

"Who were you talking to honey?" she asked worriedly, noting the slightly muddy state of her dress.

"My best friend Natsu!" the little girl cried happily as she skipped beside her mother towards the kitchens.

Layla looked behind her to see if she could find any evidence of this best friend. All she got was a little boys sandal and a flash of red darting behind a cloud at midday along with the mirth in her daughters eyes.

"Will I ever get to meet this Natsu?" she asked curiously intent on an answer from her little girl.

"Maybe Mama. It depends on whether or not you like magic." she said in a singsong voice as she skipped off to her lunch.

'Magic? She knows of what hasn't existed for centuries? It must have been a dream, it's been gone for years it left the world, didn't it'

A voice entered her head at that moment, the voice of an old man she didn't know.

"You have discovered the enigma of magic, the enigma of Fairy Tail. Do fairies have tails? Do they even exist on this earth anymore? Did they ever? It's an unanswerable question, a never ending quest, an everlasting adventure. That is the home which your daughter will soon live in. That is the home of magic. That is the Fairy Tail Guild."

A shock ran through her body at these words, yet even as the were being said the first ones were drained from her mind by something that seemed like - she had forgotten the word. She shrugged and strode to meet her daughter.

**O K guys the grind chapter is finished so R&R K? bye!**


	4. A Special Gift

**Hey guys! I know its been forever, I have no excuse other than I've been lazy and have had no ideas. I found this in one of my school notebooks and decided that i needed to get off my lazy butt and type because you guys deserve an update for all your faithful waiting. I probably wont have anything else for a while because A) I've decided to finish the stories I have before making any new ones and b) I'm suffering from LoI (lack of inspiration) and LoM (lack of motivation) It isn't WB because i want to write but i just have no ideas. Thanks for reading my brief explanation for my absence.  
**

**Oh! I've decided to do the spirits in order of my thoughts on their strength. It will go from weakest to strongest. I don't consider Gemini weak but I just wanted to start with them.**

**1. Gemini**

**2. Cancer**

**3. Sagittarius**

**4. Aries**

**5. Taurus**

**6. Pisces**

**7. Scorpio**

**8. Aquarius**

**9. Virgo**

**10. Libra**

**11. Capricorn**

**12. Leo/Loke**

**Her birthday is also on November 19.**

**This is the longest chapter I've posted to date, as an apology i hope you accept.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own fairy tail. That is the rightful property of lord kami Hiro Mashima. Please pay your Respects**

**Onward!**

* * *

**_Chapter #3: A Special Gift_**

She slid open her large window, letting the softly falling snow gently glide into her room. Lucy, dressed only in a pale blue nightgown, leaned out of the window to search the ice-covered grounds for a flash or red or, even better, pink.

No scaly hide nor hair to be found by her thorough search, she pouted before turning her attention back to her bedroom, the lavish thing. She stomped past the dark rosewood dresser and the deep blue canopied bed, not sparing either a glance as she strode to her closet.

She made a face at the side of the closet where she put the clothes her father had bought for her, the frills and bows positively revolting in her eyes. The rail upon which she hung the dresses that looked as if someone had thrown up Pepto-Bismol all over them was the smallest and most shabby of the ones in her closet.

She snorted and decisively turned to the portion of her closet where she hung her mother's more colorful clothing selections. She drifted over to them, lightly touching the soft silks and satins as she searched for a nice shade of purple or blue.

She grabbed a mid-calf length dress in a nice shade of pale lavender, shimmering silver stars decorating the hem and waist. The sleeves fell just past her hands, warming them in a soft pocket of cloth. It had a split in the front at the knees,revealing the white cloth underneath. The gentle scoop of the neckline was perfect for showing off the pale skin of her throat, making the small girl look like an elegant porcelain doll.

She danced out of the closet, sliding on her plain white slippers before exiting the room. She dashed down the hall running and skipping past the many doors that lined the corridor. She blew past a few maids who chased after her in an attempt to slow her rapid progress. She dodged them all and skidded in to the dining hall, undoubtedly wearing the soles of the simple shoes severely.

A long dark blue skirt vanished around the corner as she came in, moments later returning to reveal her mother in a simple but lovely dress, her hair held up in its customary bun. The neckline dipped in a gentle V just below her collarbone and was adorned with a transparent lace similar in shade to her dress. The sleeves ended half way down her upper arms with a slightly angled edge. Her slender hands and forearms were clothed in long white gloves, fingers entwined innocently in front of the Heartfilia matriarch.

"Mama," The young heiress started, approaching the blue clad woman slowly. "Why do you have a green 7 stuck to your dress?" She inquired, plucking the offending object from her mother's skirt.

The woman gulped, sweat slowly slipping from her brow. "Well... Sweetie... it is your birthday, and your father and I were kind of doing something for you." She replied sheepishly, rubbing her white-slippered feet together as if she was being scolded by _her _mother.

She sighed, wiping the perspiration from her pale brow, erasing any sign of tension. "You'll have to wait for a while Sweetheart, so go play. If you do go outside, I want you to stay on the porch."

"Okay!" She replied brightly,dashing back to her room. She grabbed a black trench coat with silver buttons from her extensive closet before searching the drawers of her dresser for a pair of gloves. She settled on a pair of leather ones dyed a pale blue.

She dashed to the small balcony that was attached to her room, nearly throwing the glass doors open. She licked her pale lips a few times and blew, taking a few tries to get a long pure note from her whistle. She then rushed down the grand staircase, pulling on the gloves as she went.

She made it to the large back door, opening it with slight difficulty. The cold hit her like a slap to the face, turning her cheeks a warm pink. She shivered, pulling her heavy coat tighter around her shoulders as she walked snow immediately swirled around her face, playing with the lengthening blonde hair that fell just past her collarbone.

A distinct roar broke the serene quiet, a long low note punctuated by an even deeper grunt. A slash of blood revealed itself in the sky, its form blurring from immense speed. It landed in a flurry of exploding snow inches away from the fancy porch.

"Hey, Natsu!" she cried, jumping on the dragonling. She clung to his snout, scrabbling to find a proper foothold on his smooth scaled hide."Dang it, Natsu! How come you get those warm scales and all i have is this thin skin!?"

The adolescent lizard shrugged, giving no outward sign of annoyance at the girl clinging to his snout. His eyes flashed with mischief then he snickered like a snake before tossing his head back and removing the girl from her perch on his nose.

She shrieked in delight as she ascended into the sky, her arms and legs flailing wildly. He caught her gently once she was in reach and set her down on the porch once more.

"Now Natsu," she started, pointing an accusing finger at him. "Don't ruin my dress, Mama gave it to me. Are you coming to the party that is sure to happen?"

He shifted instantaneously, landing on the porch in a little black suit, complete with a red vest and tie.

"Of course I'm coming," the boy with tousled pink hair scoffed, hands in the pockets of his pants. "Why else would I wear this get up today?"

She scowled, unappreciative of his sarcasm. He dashed forward and gave her a gentle hug, careful not to ruffle any more of her feathers, so to speak. Then, suddenly, he shivered.

She giggled, wrapping her arms around him in a warm hug that was fiercely appreciated by the cold boy.

He looked up t her with a killer pair of puppy eyes that a dragon had no business having and asked, "Can we go inside? It's cold out here."

she slid the door open and practically dragged him inside, careful not to ruin his nice warmed up rather quickly, returning to his cheerful, optimistic, happy self within a few minutes of being inside.

Lucy, who had never had a friend over at her house* (read: mansion*), immediately took him to her room. Her coat had flown off when they entered, and her gloves soared into a corner by her bookshelf.

Natsu looked around the chamber in awe, sliding out of his shoes and getting a grip on his ever present scarf.

"Wow," he muttered, still stroking the detailed scarf. "Talk about fancy."

"Well the only aspect I really like is the bed, my mom picked it out. If my dad had it would've been the same shade as a flamingo's feathers. He always gets me things like that, pretty and pink is his philosophy for girls. If only he broke the pattern every once in a while," She finished sadly looking at the ground.

Out of the corner of hr eyes she saw a flicker of movement. She focused on it and could've sworn she saw her best friend fist pump in the air.

"I knew it!" he cheered under his breath, obviously trying to keep it from her ears.

"Knew what, Natsu?" she asked, using the same tone as she had with her mother that morning.

"Um," He gulped, sweat dampening his brow. "It was about...um.. your...um...present."He spoke the last part in a whisper, as if hoping she wouldn't hear his final words.

She blanched in shock, small body practically oozing surprise. "You bought me a present?" she asked in wonder.

"Well, more like made you a present. I doubt any store could hope to have what I got for you."

"What is it?" she demanded, dashing towards the boy.

"It's um-" He was cut off by a shrill voice that followed a few hard raps on the door.

"Madam Lucy," the voice cried, grating on the small children's ears as the owner slightly turned the door knob."It is almost time for the party. Do you need any help dressing?"

Lucy looked panicked for a moment, then smoothed her expression and replied." It's okay ,Lana.. I can manage just fine."

The door knob twisted back and the foot steps slowly faded down the hall way. Lucy let out a breath she wasn't sure she had been holding, and turned back to Natsu.

"Now about that present,"

He held up a hand,effectively silencing her. "You'll see it in a minute if you go change." he pointed to her closet. Lucy pouted, not remembering if she had shown him where her closet was in her disappointment.

She drifted past the dresses once more, searching for something that stood out, anything to impress her small friend. As she wove through the dresses, a slash or red caught her attention, similarly to the dragon she had met a scant few months ago.

She turned towards it, before gasping and dashing forward towards the unfamiliar gown.

It was a shoulderless dress, with sleeves that cascaded to her mid-forearms in a river of red silk. The front doused her in the same crimson fabric, falling modestly to her knees in the front and her ankles in the back edged by black lace. The neckline was a slightly sloping v edged with the same shadow colored lace that was on the hem and silver swirls of what could only be wind decorated the bodice, carrying many black butterflies on its back.

She slid it on quickly, not needing a note to know who had given her the gift. She adjusted the sleeves to her comfort and skipped to the back wall. Lucy hopped over more pink from her father, this time in shoe form, and found a pair of nice shimmery red flats in her mothers collection.

she lifted the skirt gently and reached for the special holster where she put the keys to her friends, the spirits. A golden key appeared in her hand with a carved crab on one end.

After her call a young man appeared, his dark hair highlighted with a coral color that rose in lines to his twin up-dos that defied gravity. In his hands were scissors with tips shaped like the claws of his namesake, contrasting nicely with his tanned skin. His sunglasses were made with pale green lenses, and his dark pants contrasted with his striped blue shirt.

"What do you need, Ebi?" he asked brandishing his scissors.

"Can you style and not cut?" she asked, playing with her slightly tangled hair.

"Yes mistress, Ebi." he placed his scissors on the nearby table and lifted his hands. He reached for the tangled hair, and it smoothed at his approach. It spiraled into coils and held there for a moment, releasing into gentle waves. A shimmering red clip appeared,in the shape of the twin swirls that represented the spirit. It lifted a section of her locks away from the in a simple pony tail just to the side of her face.

"Thanks, Cancer! I love it!" she jumped up and ran to the spirit, hugging his legs tightly. He hugged her back gently, still surprised by her love of him and his family.

"You're welcome,Ebi. We are here for you always, Ebi." He said before vanishing into glittering star dust. She skipped back to the vanity spreading some of the red balm her mother had given her on her lips.

She walked out, giggling at the open mouthed stare that Natsu was giving her. His eyes and mouth had widened to massive proportions before he shook his head and snapped them closed.

As soon as he had recollected his dignity, he offered her a small suit clad arm. She looped her own through it and the pair strolled nonchalantly down the corridor. They were as dignified as a seven and nine year old pair could hope to be.

He looked at her and blushed a little, tripping slightly on the hardwood floors. "So I take it you like your present." he said in a conversational tone, flashing her a smile.

"Like it, no of course not." His face fell, looking slightly dejected. "No, like is to weak, I love it."

He smiled again, more brightly than he had the last time, and a bounce rose in his step.

"I'm glad!" he exclaimed, suddenly lifting and twirling the girl with strength a boy his age shouldn't have. "It took Mom and I forever to make it! We just couldn't decide on whether it should be pink or red. I picked red."

She blushed, then looked to her feet. "Well, I obviously like red better than pink, no offense to your hair. Your hair color is fine, I just don't like pink clothes."

"It's okay, Luce!," he soothed her ,frantic words stopping their fall from her lips. "I'm not insulted, I know what you meant."

"Really? Good. Okay, I think it's time to go in."

She smoothed her skirt and took a deep breath. She gripped the young boys hand tightly and allowed him to lead her in to the grand room.

The doorman saw her and announced, "Introducing the Lady Lucy Heartfilia."

Natsu, looking as gentlemanly as possible, led the young lady to the grand staircase. She curtsied to the hall with her eyes closed, then slowly opened them.

The room itself was white marble, with painted dome ceilings in a gothic style similar to a catholic church. There were gilded designs on the walls and golden patterned marble tiles on the floor. Torches made of the same precious metal lined the walls, even more hanging from the crystal chandelier in the middle of the room.

In one corner a practical mountain of brightly wrapped gifts stood, resting beside it was a long table with a multi-tiered white cake decorated with hundreds of frosted pink and purple flowers. The rest of the mahogany table was burdened with a multitude of finger foods, like cookies, candies, and other small sweet things. The entire room was filled with balloons and streamers, all of them in eye-catching colors.

Lucy was shocked as the (way too many) people all turned to look at her at once, a light flush colored her cheeks at the combined gazes.

The small girl felt envy from the other females her age, all of them staring at her dress. They turned to their fathers and tugged on them begging for them to buy the dress that adorned the young heiress. They were brushed off by the men talking business and pouted before continuing to glare at the blonde.

Many boys near Natsu's age looked at him snootily, obviously marking him as a commoner, below them. They eyed his tousled hair , snorting at its color, and ran hands through their own. One strode forward, his slightly spiky hair a shade of blue a cocky look shining in his grey eyes.

"Hey, Miss Lucy," he drawled, draping a tanned arm around the girl's bare shoulders. "Why don't you ditch this loser and hang out with a real man?My name is Bora by the way" He leered at her, a perverse grin he had clearly inherited for his father covering his too young face.

Lucy struggled in Natsu's direction,making several attempts to remove the cocky boy's arm. Natsu simply stepped forward and flicked the offending appendage, knocking it off of her.

"If a girl starts struggling," he said, leading Lucy away by the hand. "it means no." the pair vanished in the crowd, leaving a fuming boy in a too big suit behind.

"Now that that's over," The reptile-turned-human stated, holding a hand towards the lovely girl in front of him. "May I have this dance?"

She curtsied politely and took his hand. "Why yes, kind sir," She replied, struggling to keep a smile from breaking her straight face. A giggle escaped and the pair of them started dancing a simple waltz, laughing the whole time.

The song changed and she made a move to leave the dance floor, but Natsu stopped her with a devious smile. She shrieked as he pulled her into a sudden dip, clinging tightly to his neck. He led her through a flashy dance, lifting her over his head and twirling her under his arm until she became dizzy, both of them laughing the whole time.

"Natsu!" she cried as he continued to spin her, even after the song had ended. "Stop, I'm dizzy!" she giggled, swaying on the spot. He grabbed her arm, steadying her gently.

"I don't think I can even walk!" she exclaimed, leaning on the boy for support.

"Luce," he said drawing her attention."You probably shouldn't have said that."And with that statement he scooped her into his arms and dashed off the dance floor with her, careful not to allow her to flash the whole party.

"Natsu!" she whined jokingly. "Put me down."

He laughed but set her on her feet as ordered, carefully shifting her dress so it wouldn't wrinkle. They had ended up beside the presents, partially hidden from the party by the pile of gifts.

Suddenly a faint noise hissed its way through the open window, making many ears perk, though most assumed it was a passing breeze.

The smile dropped from Natsu's face as he listened, making the golden haired girl beneath him frown as well.

"What is it?" she asked, eyes practically dripping with curiosity

"Dad, he says I have to go now," The boy grimaced, not even attempting to hide his displeasure.

He turned to the girl beside him giving her a soft hug and a gentle kiss on the cheek. Her face immediately bloomed a warm pink, and her hands tightened on his vest.

"I'll see you soon, you'll just have to open those gifts without me," he soothed, smelling the surfacing tears. He gently wiped the first one away, kissing her cheek once more.

"Goodbye, Luce" he said, sadness coloring his tone.

He first became not-so-solid, then see-through, then a mirage, next a shadow, and finally nothing.

A diamond fell to the ground after he vanished, shattering into tiny droplets once it met the floor.

"Lucy!" her mother cried, hiking up her skirt with one hand in her search. She saw the flash of red and headed towards it, discovering her daughter beside the gifts.

"Honey, where did this come from?" she asked, stroking the soft silk of the dress. She inspected the lace, finding it to be etched with small dragons and flames, obviously the work of a master. She felt the silk once more, marveling at its texture. In all her years of dress making she had never seen cloth so finely spun.

"I-it was a gift," she sniffled, bangs obscuring her eyes.

"Well" Layla remarked, still stroking the soft fabric. "They obviously had access to a fine dress-maker. Was it from one of the nobles here? If it was I must get the name of the dress-maker."

Lucy muttered something unintelligible, even to her mother's sharp ears. "What was that, Honey? I couldn't hear you."

A few more crystals fell to the ground, catching her mother's attention.

"Honey, are you okay? Did something happen?"

She repeated her murmured words, this time speaking clearly and not as quietly. "Natsu's mama made it for me herself, he said she took weeks to make it."

"Really? Was he the boy you walked in with?" she was surprised, not thinking that the boy she had seen could have any family with a noble woman's ability to spin cloth.

"Yes, they were even debating what color to dye the cloth only a week ago." More droplets fell to the ground, driving her mother into panic.

"It's okay honey, where is Natsu? I don't see him." she did another once over of the room just to check. No pink hair to be found she turned back to her quietly weeping daughter.

"He had to go home, Mama. His daddy came and got him just a minute ago." a few more tears were shed, prompting her mother to hand her a plain white handkerchief.

"Honey, Why don't you smile? It's your birthday; you should be happy!" She made a goofy face at her daughter, hoping to entice a smile from the silently crying girl.

A reluctant smile rose on the child's face, causing Layla to sigh in relief.

"Come on honey, let's go open your presents."

The girl quietly let herself be led away, letting only one diamond fall and shatter after that.

* * *

**Now, how did you guys feel about that! Once again I apologize for keeping you waiting and I hope you review, I answer every one of them! Ja né!  
**


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